Chrysalis

by Kayne Sampson

  But instead of backing down, Forsythe matched his anger. “I have always despised you, Max. I loved you as well, like a brother, but my hatred was always greater. Always so much stronger than me. An outsider, and yet...Luna chose you.”

  And Max now understood his friend. The somber look, the sadness despite his people’s victory. With a pang of guilt, he was ashamed to know that he had never understood it. Forsythe had always been jealous of him. But it seemed he had been jealous of more than just his strength.

  There was an awkward silence between the two of them, animosity in the air. Max chose to break it. He tried to choose his words carefully. This was his friend, no matter what had happened between them. “Forsythe, I am sorry. I didn’t…” Max started to say, but he trailed off, unable to find the words. “I never realized.”

  Max was ignorant of most things like emotions. He was much like Pent in that regard. Luna had been his moral compass.

  Forsythe eyed him, processing the situation in his head. That had always been his forte, using his mind. “Tell me, Max. When my family left, what did you think, truly? Are you aware? I am the last of my clan. We were all sacrificed for the research of the Empire,” Forsythe said.

  “Forsythe…”

  “The Master saved me, but not before they finished their experiments. You see, the oddest part was that they were testing for their Terror Demon projects. Remember that one we saw at that facility? Well, it seems that the prerequisite to surviving the transformation is not strength of body, but strength of mind,” Forsythe said, pacing back and forth.

  Max frowned, keeping his eye on the man in front of him. “What are you talking about?” He asked, an ominous feeling in the air.

  Forsythe chuckled. “It means that I acquired a means of strength. The cost is myself. I wanted to see the new world for myself. But if I must become a monster and lose my mind to see the Master’s vision come to fruition, then it is a price I am willing to pay.”

  A gut wrenching scream came from Forsythe. Max backed away in horror as the man before him began to vibrate violently, his shape pulsing and rising. Blood fell to the ground around him as skin opened and reformed, twisting into a gross nightmare of flesh. The creature sank to the floor.

  Max couldn’t bring himself to do anything as the Demon named Forsythe, a man he had called a friend, became lost to the world, enveloped in this writhing monstrosity.

  The being before him was no longer recognizable as his friend. Like the thing back in the lab, it was a mass of muscle, teeth and claws. A primal form of a Demon. It was as if he was staring into the abyss. The creature turned glowing red eyes to Max. A Terror Demon. It opened its mouth to speak.

  And it was Forsythe’s voice that came out, distorted. “Well then, let’s end this.”

  “Forsythe...you…” Max began, but he was given no time to finish his sentiment. The creature, what had become of his friend, ran at him on all fours. He raised his hands to block, and he was raked across his arms with claws for his trouble.

  Max cried out in pain, but he dropped his defenses and wound up for a counter punch. It was a clean hit to the monster’s right shoulder. The beast was knocked away from him, but it was not the outcome Max had been hoping for.

  Definitely not worth the trade, Max thought to himself, looking down at his bleeding arms. I’ll have to keep an eye out for attacks like that.

  “Tell me something, Max. Did you ever stop and think about what a gift you’d been given with those wondrous powers?” Forsythe asked, his voice new and unnerving to Max’s ears.

  Max lit his arms on fire to seal the wounds. He gave them a swing to see if they felt all right. “Forsythe, you have to stop this foolishness...what have you done to yourself?”

  The creature opened its mouth, letting out a bellowing laugh. “What have I done? I’ve evened the playing field. No longer must I be a weakling in your shadow. Now I have strength. I can feel it in my bones.”

  “You are a fool. You still can’t defeat me. Stop this now,” Max declared, extinguishing his arms. He wasn’t quite sure why his friend had been driven to madness. But if he could just coax him down.

  It had taken both himself and Luna to defeat that Terror Demon back on Darkrune Mountain. And even then, it had been she that dealt the killing blow. Can I do this alone? And against Forsythe, no less.

  “I am no fool, Max. I was always the smarter of us. And I know exactly what you are capable of. I was there in the lab, remember. Besides, that one was unrefined. They’ve been trying to reproduce their results ever since the Master rescued me.”

  Forsythe ran at him, and Max lit himself on fire. The creature stopped, twisting his head to the side. Then he leapt backwards, keeping the distance between the two of them.

  He’s right. He’s not like the other one. That one was all instinct. Forsythe still has his mind, Max thought, frowning. I’m not going to be able to outthink him. And now he’s got that power as well. He won’t make this easy.

  No, his best bet was to bluff. “Be reasonable, Forsythe. I don’t want to fight a friend. We can talk this out.”

  More laughter. “Come now, Max. You and Luna always were too simple minded to lie effectively. That was my specialty.” Forsythe charged at him, faster than Max could keep up with. He took a swing, too slow. The creature stayed out of range of his fists and flames and slashed at his side.

  It was a deep cut. Max winced with pain. The flames would seal the wound, but he couldn’t afford to keep taking damage like that. No matter how resilient he was, too much pain and he would pass out from shock.

  Max let out a stream of flames, but Forsythe danced away. “You may be very strong, but you aren’t fast enough to keep up with me. Or smart enough!” Forsythe taunted.

  Max cursed, and he ran at the Demon. He wildly swung, hoping to connect, hoping his flames could reach his foe. But Forsythe was not taking the bait. Another missed strike, and he felt claws rake at his legs.

  Max dropped to one knee. The Terror Demon was standing in front of him, claws raised to strike. His ability to seal wounds would mean nothing if he lost his head. He flared his flames and felt a shred of satisfaction when it warded Forsythe off.

  “You are getting tired, old friend. Did you really think you could stand against your uncle? Pathetic. You always thought you were better than me because you were strong. That was why Luna chose you. But it seems my brains were the superior weapon.”

  Max groaned, getting to his feet. He wouldn’t last much longer the way things were going. Forsythe was right. He had him beat. How could he hope to win if he couldn’t even hit his enemy?

  “I can see everything you are going to do before you do it. And soon I…” Forsythe had trailed off, and was staring absent minded at nothing in particular. After seconds of doing nothing, he shook his head. “What...was I saying?”

  “Something about superiority or whatever,” Max said defiantly, his breathing heavy. He would be ready for the next attack. Except...there was something wrong with Forsythe.

  “Superior...why can’t I…” Forsythe stumbled to the side, holding his head. “What’s happening to me? Why does my head hurt?”

  Max frowned. This had to be some kind of ploy. But wait, that doesn’t make any sense. He has the upper hand. Why would he throw it away for a ploy?

  “Max, what are you doing to me? Is this another one of your accursed powers as a Greater Demon. Stop messing with my head!” Forsythe howled.

  Max stared blankly. “Um…” He thought about taking credit for it, but he’d already been called out on his prowess in lying, “I have no idea what you are talking about.”

  The Demon rounded on him. “Then why can I not think properly?”

  Max was silent. And then, he came to a conclusion even he could arrive at. And he began to laugh. Slowly at first, but then it became faster and louder. Forsythe growled. “What? Why are you laughing at me?”

  Max smirked. “Because, you idiot, you are becoming an idiot. That Demon we
fought in the lab, the Terror Demon? It was mindless, right? Did you ever stop and think that the price for becoming one involved losing one’s mind?”

  Forsythe did not respond. But then, the look of horror that spawned on the Terror Demon’s face became apparent. “Then I will end up like that...thing?”

  “Looks that way.”

  “No...I don’t believe it. I am smarter than that. I’m more good at thinking than everyone. I think good.”

  Max looked at his friend. Already he was starting to babble, his face becoming more simple. With a pang of sadness, he realized that before long, his friend would be lost to the beast within.

  “You did this to yourself, my friend,” Max pointed out.

  Lucidity returned to Forsythe. “And I would do it all over again, if it meant I could help the Master and the Brotherhood. And kill you!” And he lunged at Max, jaws wide. Max flared his flames around him again.

  And screamed in pain as Forsythe ignored the fire and clamped razor sharp teeth into his shoulder. It was in tandem with Forsythe, who screeched after releasing Max, his muzzle catching flame as he struggled to put it out.

  Max dropped to the ground, the pain forcing his flames to dissipate. Max lifted an exerted hand to his shoulder, feeling the mangled mess that was bleeding heavily. With a weary but focused will, he reignited his flames and the skin began to forge in fire, sealing the wound. But he could not fix the damage.

  Max couldn’t rise. He couldn’t beat this man, who had thrown away everything for more power. Forsythe would do everything to kill him. Even if his old friend himself died in the process. He couldn’t win any longer.

  Forsythe had put out the fire, his face blackened for the affair. “If I must lose my mind in service of the Brotherhood of Shadows, so be it. But not before I kill you myself. I want to be sure I am in control when I wipe the thing that caused me the most misery in life off the face of the earth.”

  Max lowered his head. So this is the end for me, huh? Sorry Keta, looks like I didn’t get to be that much help, after all.

  The sad truth was that Forsythe had been right. He had always hidden behind his strength and his flames. He had never tried to help anyone, at least not on his own. It was Keta who had pushed him forward.

  “Heh, look at the sorry state I’m in. Keta and Pent would have dealt with this, no problem,” Max muttered quietly, as Forsythe started walking towards him. At least they would never have to see his pitiful performance.

  “Leave him alone!” The voice was enough of a surprise to snap him out of his thoughts.

  Luna was running at Forsythe. Max blinked back tears at the revelation. She was...alive? He really hoped that the girl wasn’t an illusion. Some weird crap was happening today in this fog.

  Luna launched herself into Forsythe, shoulder first. Now you are in for it, buddy, Max thought weakly. Luna’s going to do to you what she did to that other one.

  Max’s smile turned to a frown when the girl stumbled back, unable to push the Demon back at all. She grabbed at her shoulder with a pained expression. Something was wrong. Was Forsythe even stronger than the one they had faced back on Darkrune Mountain?

  Forsythe turned to her, unaffected by her attack. “You live? How? We all thought that…” he trailed off, and he stepped backwards, lifting a hand. It seemed like he was going to attack, but he kept a hand in front of him.

  He’s hiding his face! Max realized. The beast might be consuming his friend, but he was still in control for now. Not that either option boded well for him. He was spent. It was up to Luna now.

  Luna’s eyes went wide after hearing Forsythe speak. She stepped forward, trying to meet his eyes. “Forsythe? Is that you? What happened to you?” Luna asked.

  “No! Don’t look at me,” Forsythe growled, and he stumbled backwards. His movements were growing more and more erratic.

  Max couldn’t help himself any longer. This was dangerous. “Luna! Get out of here. Get away from him.”

  Luna held her shoulder. “Max, stop being an idiot. This is Forsythe. We’re friends. This has gone on long enough.”

  Max grunted as he got to his feet. “Don’t be naive, Luna. That fool turned himself into that same type of thing that we fought in the lab back home.”

  Whatever feelings Max had for his friend, even one who had betrayed him and tried to kill him many times over, he could not hold back anymore. This was a dangerous creature that was roaming free. He had to…

  Max startled himself with a thought. What would Keta think hearing that? The Kitaan was one of the finest people Max had ever met. It was the reason he had agreed to join him and Pent in the first place.

  Keta tried to see the best in everyone. He had welcomed him, a former enemy, to join his cause. And if Max couldn’t do the same, and to an old friend nonetheless, what kind of a man was he?

  “Forsythe. Listen to me,” Max said, and he walked forward, taking a deep breath. When he was ready, he continued. “I’m sorry, my friend, about the way everything went down between us lately. And for not realizing earlier how you felt.”

  The large Demon stopped, and turned his neck to glance at Max with a curious expression. Good, I have his attention here rather than on Luna. Something is up with her, he noted. It was best to keep her out of this right now.

  “You trying talk down again, friend?” Forsythe growled, emphasizing the last part. He was walking towards Max on all fours, slowly.

  Max put on a grin. “No, I’m just remembering the good old days. You remember them? Before all of this blood and violence became our norm?” He started to walk towards Forsythe, his hands spread in a welcoming manner.

  Forsythe had been watching him, down on all fours again. It was a feral look, completely contrasting his old friend’s previous demeanor. He had to take a gamble.

  “We were all friends back then. We can still be. Luna is fine. There’s no reason for us to fight any longer,” Max said, trying to soothe his friend. He was inching closer. But the hardness in Forsythe’s eyes warned him, and he jumped back to avoid piercing claws.

  “Friends? Don’t make laugh. Always despised you! If only you hadn’t come to village, then perhaps Luna may have been mine!” Forsythe roared.

  The beast flinched as Luna attacked with a right hook to the face, disorienting him. “Don’t you dare talk about me like I’m some trophy to be won!” Luna said, her anger matching the tone. “I loved you as well, Forsythe, but my heart belonged to Max. Especially now that you show your true colors…”

  Forsythe’s mouth split into a wide grin. “Your fist lacking power, Luna. I barely felt that.” He opened his mouth and began to laugh hysterically. “Well, isn’t this interesting. It seems that I possess most power!”

  Luna’s eyes narrowed and she struck. Her blow bounced off Forsythe’s skin, and she stared in horror. Luna...she’s lost her power! Whatever they did to her must have done it! Max realized. This was bad. In his deranged state, Forsythe was likely to do anything.

  The creature got onto his hind legs and lifted a hand. “If that’s true, then perhaps it’s time to say goodbye to my old self. After all, what’s that old saying? If I can’t have you, no one can.” He took a step towards the Demon girl.

  Max moved without thinking. He ran at the Demon, who casually turned and struck at him with his claws. Max bellowed in pain, as they pierced into him. “Oh come now, Max. Even for you that dumb move. Just give up. You can’t beat me.”

  Max coughed up blood, the claws tearing through his body. And then he placed his hands on Forsythe’s arms and clamped down. “I might not be able to beat you, but at the very least I can take you with me.”

  Forsythe’s eyes widened as he began to realize what was going on. It was too late. He may have been faster, but Max was stronger. There was no way out of his grasp. There was only one way left. “Witness it now, old friend. My dying flames of rage!”

  And Max ignited himself, letting his fires grow and burn hotter than he ever had in his life. He let eve
ry emotion that he was experiencing stoke the pyre. Love. Hate. Sadness. He would use it all for his power.

  He was screaming, but so was Forsythe. The same strange, guttural scream that had signified his old friend’s descent into a monster. At the very least, Max would be the one to put him out of his misery.

  Finally, the screaming stopped, when there was nothing left of Forsythe but ash. Max let his flames die, and a smile crept to his lips as he fell backwards into the ground.

  “Max!” Luna’s voice was still like music to his ears, despite the pain. She was soon beside him, and she placed a hand on his mangled shoulder. Max felt nothing, but that was to be expected. He had seared the flesh together.

  But he could do nothing to combat the damage the battle had down to his insides. “Ah...Luna. You...I’m glad you’re okay…” Max panted.

  “Max! Hold on, we have to get you to a doctor or something,” Luna said, trying to lift him. But with the supposed loss of her power, there was no way that she’d have been able to.

  Max turned his head towards her. “I’m sorry, Luna. But it looks like this is as far as I go.” He choked out the words, knowing that he was already on borrowed time.

  “Don’t talk like that,” Luna said, between sobs, “Don’t talk, Max. Save your strength. I’ll get us out here. I promise. It’ll be okay, we’re together again at last!”

  Together at last. Max had saved her. He had accomplished what he had set out to do. He lifted a hand to touch her cheek. She was so beautiful. “Yes...together at the end...I’m glad…”

  The girl took his hand in both of her’s. Tears ran down as he tried to study her fading face. “No Max, it’s not the end. Stay with me. We’re going to get you some help. We’ll find your friends! They can save you. It’s going to be okay!” She began pleading.

  Max smiled at her, a genuine smile. The ones he used to flash her back in the village when they were younger. “Luna...make sure our kid...grows up strong like us. I’m sorry...I love you…”